[ COMPLETED ] • [ EDITED ]
Nadia Valiente's disappearance has always been a mystery to her friend, Marina. By how her alleged suicide took place, up to the position that she was in whilst on that river, soaked to death, felt like an unsealed package...
Oops! Ang larawang ito ay hindi sumusunod sa aming mga alituntunin sa nilalaman. Upang magpatuloy sa pag-publish, subukan itong alisin o mag-upload ng bago.
MARINA
I squint my eyes while staring at the torn paper she gave me. There's eyeglasses drawn on the surface with a book and a dollar sign next to it.
And on the right corner of the paper, her signature was drawn. A bat with an N.
"What does this mean?" I ask in confusion, trying to lower my voice as much as I could.
Inginuso niya ang guro sa aming harapan na walang humpay sa pagsasalita. "She accepts bribes." Nadia winks and that made my eyes widen.
"Really? Mrs. Alcaraz do?!" napalakas ang tono ng aking pananalita dahilan para dumapo sa aking noo ang palad niya.
"Huwag kang maingay baka ma—"
A wooden stick flies between us onto the bulletin board. "The next one will enter your heads if you don't shut your mouths," spits the teacher.
That memory is still vivid in my head.
She does that every time she wanted to hide something from other people, especially if it was something confidential.
Because others might take the drawing as it is.
But not her friend. Not Marina. Not me.
The meaning is hidden behind those drawings, all the time. And we were the only ones who can figure it out.
I will never forget it unlike the other memories I used to have.
Because at those times, I have her. I had Nadia.
And we almost got expelled after that because of numerous complaints by Mrs. Alcaraz. But she withdrew them the moment Nadia spoke up about her accepting a bribe money.
It was so funny, like we just got away with murder.
Like what Nadia's killer attained.
But guess what, dickhead, that victory of yours won't last. So you better enjoy it right now because I promise to drag you down to the point that you will request that I drown you exactly where you disposed Nadia's body.
I stare again at the drawing to make sure that I'm not just hallucinating.
Ipinasada ko ang aking palad dito at nararamdaman ko ang baku-bako nitong tekstura sa tuwing tatamaan ng aking balat ang bawat guhit sa kahoy.
